Readily reversible buoyant jacket



L. P. FRIEDER, JR

READILY REVERSIBLE BUOYANT JACKET Oct. 15, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 2, 1966 1 INVENTOR. Leonora P Eveaer ATTOR N EYS United States Patent 3,405,414 READILY REVERSIBLE BUOYANT JACKET Leonard Peter Frieder, Jr., Clarks Green, Pa., assignor to Gentex Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 2, 1966, Ser. No. 554,769 Claims. (Cl. 9-338) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE In general my invention contemplates the provision of a readily reversible buoyant jacket in which distinct side sections of molded buoyant unicellular material, each having a body portion, a shoulder portion and a head rest portion, are connected at points above the shoulder portions by a core extending between the sections and carrying a sausage-like body of molded unicellular buoyant material forming the top of the neck opening of the jacket. Spaced, freely flexible hinges join the sections at a point adjacent the top of the body to close the neck opening and at a point slightly above the bottom of the body portions. A hook, adjustably carried by a belt secured to the jacket at one edge thereof and adapted to be passed around the wearers waist, is engaged with one of two hooks on the respective sides of the jacket depending upon which way the jacket has been donned.

Background of the invention Life jackets and buoyant vests and jackets adapted to support a wearer in the water must satisfy a number of criteria if they are effectively to achieve their intended purpose. First, they must have sufiicient buoyancy to support the Wearers body even though he be unconscious. Secondly, they must support the wearer generally on his back. Thirdly, they must support the wearer in a position at which his face is out of the water.

In addition to the above criteria which must be satisfied, there are a number of desirable features which should be incorporated in a life jacket. It should not be cumbersome. It should be relatively easily donned under all climatic conditions and in emergencies. It should be easy to stow in a relatively small space. It should not easily come off the wearers body even upon impact as when a person jumps from a ship into the water.

One type of buoyant vest which satisfies many of the conditions outlined above comprises a unitary body of molded unicellular buoyant material such, for example, as polyvinyl chloride. The body is provided with a neck opening formed in part by a piece which extends across the back of the wearers neck. This part not only assists in holding the jacket onto the wearers body but also functions to hold the wearers head out of the water. In order to ensure a relatively close fit around the wearers neck and under his chin while at the same time permitting the jacket to be donned, a jacket of this type is formed with a relatively small neck opening and with a slot leading into the jacket body to permit the neck opening to be enlarged when the jacket is donned.

Jackets of the type described above usually also are provided with a belt carrying a hook or buckle element which may be engaged with a ring or the like on the front of the buoyant body after the belt is slipped around the wearers waist. These vests or jackets are not readily reversible.

While jackets of the type just described are in general satisfactory under most conditions, they incorporate a number of deficiencies. One of these results from the tendency of the material of which the jacket is formed to stiffen under extreme cold. Owing to that fact, the jackets are difficult to put on and the material of which they are Patented Oct. 15, 1968 formed may crack in the course of that operation. Since jackets of that type comprise an integral piece extending entirely across the front of the wearers body, they cannot be folded and thus are difiicult to stow in some restricted spaces. Since they are not inherently reversible, they are not as readily donned under emergency conditions as is desirable.

I have invented a readily reversible buoyant jacket which overcomes all of the disadvantages of jackets of the type described above while retaining the advantages thereof. My jacket may easily be put on without damage thereto even in extreme cold. It is inherently reversible so as to be easy to don in an emergency. It can be folded so as to permit storage in a restricted space. It retains the advantages of floating the wearer faceup with his head out of the water and is comfortable and not cumbersome.

Description of the invention One object of my invention is to provide a readily reversible buoyant jacket which can be donned readily in extreme cold without damage to the material of which the jacket is formed.

Another object of my invention is to provide a readily reversible buoyant jacket which is easily put on in an emergency.

A further object of my invention is to provide a readily reversible buoyant jacket which can be folded to permit stowage in restricted spaces.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a readily reversible buoyant jacket which floats the wearer faceup with his head out of the water.

Other and further objects of my invention will appear from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings which form part of the instant specification and which are to be read in conjunction therewith and in which like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts in the various views:

FIGURE 1 is an elevation of my readily reversible buoyant jacket from one side thereof.

FIGURE 2 is an elevation of my readily reversible buoyant jacket from the other side thereof.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of my readily reversible buoyant jacket taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of my readily reversible buoyant jacket taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view of my readily reversible buoyant jacket taken along the line 55 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view of a connecting member of my readily reversible buoyant jacket taken along the line 6-6 of FIGURE 1.

Referring now to the drawings, my jacket indicated generally by the reference character 10 includes respective sections indicated generally by the reference characters 12 and 14. I have not designated the sections 12 and 14 as righthand and lefthand sections owing to the fact that, as will be explained more fully hereinafter, the jacket may be donned with either side thereof adjacent the Wearers body. Section 12 includes a body portion 16, a shoulder portion 18 extending upwardly from the body 16 as viewed in FIGURE 1 and a head rest portion 20 extending upwardly from the shoulder portion 18. Section 14 includes a body portion 22, a shoulder portion 24 and a head rest portion 26. It will readily be apparent that the section 12 has a greater volumetric displacement than does the section 14. The differential buoyancy resulting from this arrangement provides a moment which turns the wearer faceup in the water in the event he lands facedown.

I provide respective, freely flexible hinges indicated generally by the reference characters 28 and 30 joining the sections 12 and 14 adjacent the tops of the body portions 16 and 22 and adjacent a point spaced slightly above 3 the bottoms of the body portions 16 and 22 in the region of the waist of the wearer. Each of the sections 12 and 14 is molded as an integral unit from a suitable unicellular buoyant material such, for example, as polyvinyl chloride. I provide the sections 12 and 24 with respective slits 32 and 34 spaced from the inner edges of the respective sections 12 and 14. The upper hinge 28 is formed by a generally oblong ring 36 which joins two lengths 38 and 40 of a suitable material such, for example, as nylon webbing carried by the respective sections 12 and 14. Webbing length 38 extends into the slot 32 from one side of the section 12, through an oblong ring 42 disposed within the slot, back outwardly to the same side, around the portion of the section body disposed outwardly of the slot 32, back into the slot 32, again through the ring 42, back outwardly from the slot and around the portion of the body inboard of the slot through the connecting ring 36 and its ends are secured by any suitable means such, for example, as by stitching 44. The other length 40 extends into the other slot 34 from one side of the other section 14, through a ring 46 disposed within the slot, back out toward the one side of the section 14, around the portion of the body inboard of the slot and through the ring 36, then inwardly of the slot from the other side of the section, again through ring 46 and around the portion of the section disposed outwardly of the slot 34. Stitching 48 secures the ends of the length 40.

Owing to the construction just described, any force tending to separate the sections 12 and 14 in the region of the hinge 28 causes the ring 36 to act on the lengths 38 and 40 in such a way that they exert compressive forces on the portions of the section bodies around which the lengths extend. Thus, the force tending to separate the bodies will not tend to tear the material of which the body is formed.

I provide a similar, though not identical, arrangement for connecting the hinge 30 to the bodies. Hinge 30 includes an oblong ring 50 which connects two lengths 52 and 54 of a suitable material such, for example, as nylon webbing. Spaced openings 56 and 58 in the body 16 receive the length 52. Another pair of spaced openings 60 and 62 receive the length 54. Length 52 extends from a doubled end 64 thereof located at the outer edge of the body 16 along one side of the body and through slot 56 to the other side. The length 52 extends along the other side toward the inner edge of the body 16 and then passes through slot 58 toward the one side and around the inner edge of body 16 back to the other side. In the course of its travel around the inner edge, length 52 passes through the ring 50. I then pass the length 52 along the other side of the outer edge of the body 16 and beyond to provide a belt having a free end 66 on the length 52. Stitching 68 secures the superposed portions of length 52 on the other side of body 16. I secure the doubled end 64 of the length 52 to the length at a point adjacent the outer edge of body 16 by means of stitching 70.

Length 54 extends outwardly of the body 22 along one side thereof into slot or opening 62, through a ring 72 disposed within the opening 62 and back out to the one side of body 22. I then pass the length 54 around a portion of body 22 disposed outwardly of slot 62, along the other side of body 22 and into slot 62. After passing through the ring 72, the length is directed outwardly toward the other side of body 22 along that other side and into slot 60. After passing through a ring 74 disposed within the slot 60, the length is returned to the other side. At this point along the length 54 I form a loop 76 by stitching 78. From the loop 76 length 54 is directed around the inner edge of body 22 and through the hinge forming ring 50. Stitching 82 forms another loop 84 on the one side of body 22. Loops 78 and 84 carry hookreceiving rings 80 and 86. From the loop 84 I pass the length 54 into slot 60, through the ring 74 and back out of the slot 60 and outwardly along body 22 back to the starting point. Stitching 88 secures the ends of length 4 54 to hold the length in position on the body 22. While I have shown rings 80 and 86 adjacent slot 60 near the inner edge of section 14, I could as well position these rings adjacent slot 62 near the outer edge of the section 14.

I adjustably attach a snap hook 90 to the free end 66 of the length 52. Hook 90 is secured to a rectangular frame 92 which slidably carries a snubber bar 94. I pass the free end 66 through the frame 92, over the bar 94 and back through the frame. As will be explained hereinafter, when my jacket is donned, the belt formed by the length 52 passes around the wearers waist and hook 90 is snapped into engagement with one or the other of the rings 80 and 86. When that has been done, free end 66 can be pulled to tighten the belt.

I secure a crosspiece indicated generally by the reference character 96 to the sections 12 and 14 at points between the shoulder portions 18 and 24 and the head rest portions 20 and 26. Crosspiece 96 includes a core 98 of flexible material carrying a sausage-like body 109 of the material such, for example, as polyvinyl chloride of which the sections 12 and 14 are formed. The crosspiece 96 is supported on the section 12 by a pair of lengths 102 and 104 of.a suitable material such, for example, as nylon webbing and is supported on section 14 by a second pair of lengths 106 and 108. I form the sections 12 and 14 with respective transversely extending slots 110 and 112 at locations between the shoulder portion 18 and head rest portion 20 of section 12 and between the shoulder portion 24 and head rest portion 26 of section 14. In assembling the crosspiece 96 on the sections, I loop the respective lengths 102 and 104 around the portions formed by the slot 110 and secure both the ends of these lengths and one end of the core 98 in assembled relationship by stitching 114. Similarly, the lengths 106 and 108 are placed around the portions formed by slot 112 with their ends inwardly disposed and stitching 116 secures the ends together and to the other end of the core 98. I so position the crosspiece 96 along the length of the jacket that with the jacket in position on the wearers body, the relative buoyancy of material in the front and in the back of the jacket is about 70 percent in front and about 30 percent in back. Moreover, the portion to the rear is above the wearers head. That is, crosspiece 96 cooperates with the hinge 28 to form the neck opening 118 of the jacket.

In manufacturing, I first mold the two sections 10 and 12 to shape and form the necessary slots therein by use of a hot knife or the like. I then dip these bodies in a suitable plastic paint which may, for example, be of a bright color to permit a person in the water to be located visually. Next, I mold the crosspiece body 100. When that has been done, the crosspiece receives the core 98 and the crosspiece is assembled on the sections by use of the webbing strips. Next I apply the other webbing lengths to provide the hinges 28 and 30 as well as the hook-receiving rings 80 and 86 and the hook 90.

The two hinges 28 and 30 of the construction described above provide my jacket with a fixed flexing axis in the center thereof. Crosspiece 96 is so formed that it will flex freely even in extreme cold and also may be deformed so that the jacket can be donned. The core 98 gives it a great measure of structural strength. All of the webbings for securing the hinges and for securing the crosspiece to the sections 10 and 12 are so applied that no forces tending to tear the material of the sections are applied thereto. While I have shown many of the regions of stitching of my jacket exposed it will be understood that, in practice, for the sake of appearances they may be concealed in the slots.

In order to store my jacket it is merely folded along a line passing through the hinges 28 and 30. Owing to that arrangement, it may be stored in relatively limited space. In use of the jacket, in order to don it, the wearer merely slips his head through the neck opening 118 from either side of the jacket. Owing to the construction described above, this can be accomplished with relative ease even under extreme conditions of cold without danger of damaging the bodies and 12. After the jacket has been slipped over the wearers head, the belt formed by length 52 is passed around the back of the wearer and the hook 90 is engaged with one or the other of rings 80 and 86 depending upon which one is outboard after the jacket has been slipped over the wearers head. It will readily be understood that this feature is of significance in an emergency since no care need be taken to put the jacket on with a particular side toward the body.

Once the jacket has been donned, the neck opening 118 provides a relatively close fit to prevent the jacket from accidentally slipping over the wearers head in the event he must jump from a ship into the water. With the wearer in the water, if he should land facedown, the differential buoyancy of the two sections 12 and 14 creates a turning moment tending to rotate the wearer to a position at which his face is up. The two head rest portions 20 and 26 hold the wearers head in a position up out of the water.

It will be seen that I have accomplished the objects of my invention. I have provided a readily reversible buoyant jacket which overcomes the disadvantages of buoyant jackets of the prior art. M y jacket may easily be donned without damage to the material of which it is formed even in extreme cold. No care need be taken in putting the jacket on one or the other side of the wearers body since the jacket is inherently reversible. My jacket retains all of the advantages of jackets of the prior art. It may readily be folded for storage in a limited space.

It will be understood that certain features and suboombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of my claims. It is further obvious that various changes may be made in details within the scope of my claims without departing from the spirit of in invention. It is, therefore, to be understood that my invention is not to be limited to the specific details shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim is:

1. A buoyant jacket including in combination separate first and second members of buoyant material each having a front body portion and a shoulder portion and a head rest portion, each of said body portions having a first opening therethrough in the upper portion thereof, a connecting ring disposed between said members, respective lengths of material extending through said ring, each of said lengths extending from said ring into one of said first openings from one side of one of said members, back out of said opening to said one side, around the portion of the member disposed outwardly of said opening, into said opening from the other side of the member, then out from the opening to said other side and back to said ring, means connecting the portions of said lengths extending into said first openings, each of said body portions also having space-d second and third openings in the lower region thereof, a second connecting ring disposed between said members adjacent said lower regions, a second length of material passing through said second ring, said second length extending from said second ring into one of said second openings from one side of one of said members, out of said second opening to said one side, along said one side and into the third opening of said one member, out of said third opening to said one side, around the outer edge of said one member, into the third opening from the other side of said one member, out of said third opening to said other side of said one member, along said other side and into said second opening in said one member from said other side, out of said second opening and back to said ring, means connecting the portions of said second length extending into said second and third openings of said one member, loops in said second length on both sides of said one member, connector receptacles carried by said loops, a third length of material passing through said second ring, said third length extending from said ring through said second opening of said other member from one side thereof, along the other side of said other memher and through the third opening to said one side, around the outer edge of said other member and along said other side and back to said second ring, a portion of said third length of material forming a belt having a free end and a connector carried by said free end, each of said members having passages extending transversely therethrough at points between said shoulder and head rest portions, fourth lengths of material extending through said passages and around the portions of said members formed by said passages, a cord connected to said fourth lengths and a sausage-like body of buoyant material on said cord.

2. A buoyant jacket including in combination separate first and second members of buoyant material each having a front body portion, a shoulder portion and a head portion, means including a flexible element and a sausagelike body of buoyant material carried by said flexible element for connecting said members at said shoulder portions.

3. A buoyant jacket as in claim 2 in which said shoulder portions have transverse passages therethrough, said connecting means comprising lengths of material extending through said passages and around the portions of said members outside said passages and means for securing said flexible element to said lengths.

4. A buoyant jacket including in combination separate first and second members of buoyant material, each having a front body portion provided with an inner edge and an outer edge, means forming a freely swinging hinge for joining said members along the inner edges of said body portions, the body of one of said members being provided with an Opening intermediate said edges, said hinge-forming means comprising a length of material passing through said opening and over each of said edges so as to extend around the portions of said one member at both sides of said opening.

5. A buoyant jacket as in claim 4 in which said hingeforming means further comprises a connector element, said length of material extending from said element into said opening from one side of said member, back out of said opening to said one side, around said outer edge, into said opening from the other side of said member, then out from said opening to said other side and back to said element, and means for joining the portions of said material extending into said opening from the opposite sides of said member,

6. A buoyant jacket as in claim 5 in which said element comprises a first ring through which said length passes, and in which said joining means comprises a second ring through which said length passes from each side of said section.

7. A buoyant jacket including in combination separate first and second members of buoyant material, each having a front body portion provided with an inner edge and an outer edge, means forming a freely swinging hinge for joining said members along the inner edges of said body portions, said hinge-forming means comprising spaced rings disposed between said inner edges and respective lengths of material each encompassing at least a part of one of said body portions and passing through one of said rings, each of said lengths having ends permanently attached together, the lengths associated with each ring forming a permanent attachment of said bodies, a belt length of material extending from a point adjacent the outer edge of one of said portions and around the back of a wearer to a point adjacent the inner edge of the other body portion, and releasable means including elements carried by said jacket on the respective sides thereof for connection to said belt length adjacent said inner edges releasably to secure said jacket to the wearers body.

8. A buoyant jacket as in claim 7 in which said releasable means includes as said elements hook-receiving rings carried by said jacket on the respective sides thereof.

9. A buoyant jacket as in claim 7 in which said releasable means includes as said elements respective hook-receiving rings carried by said lengths of material on respective sides of said jacket.

10. A buoyant jacket as in claim 7 in which one of said members is provided with spaced openings, one of the lengths of material associated with said one member embracing the portion of said member between said openings and the portions of said member inwardly and outwardly disposed with relation-to said openings.

11. A buoyant jacket as in claim 7 in which one of said members is provided with spaced openings, one of the lengths of material associated with said one member extending from said ring into one of said openings from one side of said one member, out of said opening to said one side, along said one side and into the other opening from said one side, out of the other opening to said one side, around the outer edge of said member, into said other opening from the other side of said one member, out of said other opening to said other side, along said other side and into said one opening from said other side, out of said opening to said other side and back to said element.

12. A buoyant jacket as in claim 11 including loops formed in the length associated with said one member on the respective sides thereof, said releasable means comprising as said elements respective hook-receiving rings carried by said loops.

13. A buoyant jacket as in claim 7 in which each of said members has a shoulder portion and a head rest portion and means including a flexible element connecting said members at points thereon between said shoulder and head rest portions.

14. A buoyant jacket as in claim 13 including a sausagelike body of buoyant material carried by said flexible element.

15. A buoyant jacket as in claim 13 in which said membars have transversely extending passages at points between said shoulder and head rest portions, lengths of material extending through said passages and around the portions of said members formed by said passages and means connecting said flexible element to said lengths.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 665,260 1/ 1901 Ostermeyer 9342 1,470,908 10/ 1923 Catanzaro 9342 1,536,627 5/1925 Potter 9333 2,226,564 12/1940 Kienitz 9342 2,692,994 11/1954 King et a1 9-337 3,147,030 9/1964 Berk 24225 3,159,891 12/1964 Brewer 24225 MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

J. I. MCLAUGHLIN, Assistant Examiner. 

